Sports and tourism – A means of enhancing international friendship?

Sports are physical activities that people do for exercise to keep fit or because they enjoy them. Sport is a very important part of life and it becomes more and more popular. Doing sports keeps us healthy, relaxed, as well as maintains our figure and strengthens our patience and endurance. All doctors recommend exercising, as prevention and convalescence of various ailments.

The best way of cultivating the love of sports in people is to exercise with them since early childhood. Special playgrounds are built for young sportsmen with crawl-through structures, various obstacle courses and sandboxes.

In the modern world a positive attitude to sports becomes something of a trend and a hit. Young people, and not only them, try to look sporty and dress in sporty clothes. We go to practice sports at various playgrounds, sports halls, covered pools, stadiums, tennis courts, and fitness centres.

We know two kinds of sportsmen – amateurs and professionals. The amateur approach to sport is when he/she exercises, jogs, swims or goes to the gym once in a while or once or twice a week.
For the professionals sport is a job. They are so interested in sports that they want to make it their main livelihood. Sometimes they only get paid for their travels and equipment, but if they keep improving their results, there is a fair chance they could go to the world competitions, which improves their chances of earning more money. The highest achievement for sportsmen is usually to participate in the Olympic Games and win a gold medal.

Sports can be generally divided into indoor and outdoor sports or into summer, winter or all-season sports.
Indoor sports can be practised all the year round but many of outdoor sports depend on weather and therefore can be practised mostly in summer.
Typical for winter is a lot of snow. We often go into the mountains for snow, in order to do downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, or the slalom there. Other winter sports include sledging, bobsled,ice-skating etc.

Games are those sports in which at least two players are involved. The most popular games are football, rugby, hockey, tennis, golf, cricket, basketball, volleyball and many others.

Each of us has the right to choose whatever sporting activity he/she likes. Individual sports require different equipment and make different demands on our physical stamina and time. We can devote ourselves to sports either as individuals or as a collective – an entire team.

Many people like hiking. There are many beautiful places in the world that we can visit. As hikers we can set out for the mountains, the forests, or just walk around meadows. Walking in nature brings people relaxation and allows them to learn a lot of new things. It`s important to dress properly. One never knows what the weather is going to be like.

Sports are run by a large number of sports organisations, that hold matches, inter-city competitions, and friendly meetings of sportsmen. There is competition among the individual organisations for the best performances of its members. The best sportsmen can take part in international competitions, in which they represent their country. A professional sportsman usually has his own coach.

The most talented sportsmen can even take part in the Olympic Games. We distinguish Summer and Winter Olympic Games. They take place every four years. The first games were held in 776 B. C. They were based on the customs of the ancient Greeks. The Greeks placed an emphasis on muscular, well-proportioned, and strong bodies. Just as in earlier times in Greece, so also today competitions are held in many disciplines. The games were only for men. Now, the Olympic Games are for the women as well.
Another idea of the games was to keep peace during the competitions, as there were often minor wars going on the time.
The contemporary tradition of the games started in 1896, in Athens. Since then, the event has taken place every four years, excepting during the world wars.
The well-known symbol of the games is the five intertwined different coloured circles on a white background. They symbolise the five continents.
The Olympic Games are an international competition and are a great event in the world of sports. As reward for victory a sportsman may obtain a title, a bronze, silver, or gold medal, or other prizes as well.